Feeler mechanism for looms



L SNOW. FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1920.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISLAC SNOW, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAIER CORPORATION,

. OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELER .MEGHANISMT FOB LOOMS.

Application filed July 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC SNOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lawrence, inthe county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is aspecification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mechanisms for looms, whereby filling is replenishedprior to complete exhaustion during the weaving operation.

longitudinally of the Numerous types of feeler mechanisms have been suggested heretofore, and among these types is that commonly known as the side swipe feeler, wherein the feeler moves longitudinally of the shuttle when the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat; The side swipe movement is imparted to the feeler either by the frontward pressure of a surface within the shuttle or by means which act upon the feeler independently ofthe surface within the shuttle, such as a spring. The invention has more particular reference tothe latter type of feeler mechanism, andhas for one ofits objects to simplify the feeler mechanism and make the feeler more sensitive either to the presence or substantial absence of filling in the shuttle on a detecting beat.

An important feature of the present in vention, therefore, consists of the feeler stand on which the feeleris loosely mounted for bodily movement toward and from the front of the loom, and also in a direction shuttle or laterally of the feeler, stand; anda hearing which extends generally from .front torear of the feeler stand and against which the feeler is pressed by aspringwhich exerts a force laterally againstthe feeler to hold the feeler in feelingposition whenit is rearward and tending as itnioves frontwardlyto move it longitudinally of theshuttleor laterally of the feeler stand. The bearing against which the feeler is laterally pressed has its front portion offs et from the rear portion, and when the feeler is. in" its rearward position, the laterally-acting spring holds the feeler against the rear portion of the bearingand as the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detectingbeauthe sprin is frontwardly displaced to act upon the fee eropposite the offsetpor- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 398,257.

mounted on. the arm of the spring which moves the feelerinto rearward position, but as to these details, variations maybe made indefinitely. i

The above features of the present invention, andother novel elements and combinations of parts willbest be made clear from the following description and accompanying drawings of one good, practical form of the invention.

Inthe drawings Figure 1 is a plan view showing the action of the. 'mproved feeler mechanism when the shuttle contains a working supply of filling on a detecting beat;

Fig. 2 is aview similarto that of Fig. 1, but showing the position assumed by the parts of the feeler mechanism when the filling is'substantially exhausted on a detecting beat; and

mechanism detached.

It has not been deemed necessary herein to illustrate the replenishing means whereby the filling isreplenished prior to complete exhaustion, nor the train of mechanismbetween the feeler and the replenishing mechanism, whereby the operation of the latter is controlled by the side swipe movement of the feeler, because these features are both now well known and understood by those skilled in the art. Neither have the lay and shuttle-box been shown for similar reasons.

The feeler mechanism, which is more particularly illustrated by; the drawings, com prises a feeler stand 1 which may be adjustably secured in position on the loom frame by the screws 2 which pass through 'a slot 3 in .the feeler stand.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the feeler by transmitter the lateral feeling The front portion of the bearing 8 is offset and an offset front portion which the parts 19 and 20 of the feeler.

6 which may be jointed to the fceler 1 at 7, the construction being such that upon sideswipe movement of the feeler into the position indicated in Fig.2, on a detecting beat, the train of mechanism will be operated to effect replenishment of filling.

The feeler stand has a bearing against which the feeler rests by a spring, In the present instance the bearing consists of an upstanding flange 8, the rear end portion 9 of which has a surface 10 which determines position of the feeler.

atll, theefi'ect being that the bearing 8 consists o fa rearwardly-extending rear portion may be preferably connected together continuously by a partformed with or secured to the :teeler stand. The bearing is shown as secured to the teeler stand by means of the pins 12, one at the rear and the other at the front portion of the bearing.

Mounted on the feeler stand 1 is a pin 13 about which is coiled the spring 14-. One end of the spring 14 is secured to the stud '13 at 15, and the other end of the spring is formed as an arm 16 which extends laterally from the coil of the spring and engages the feeler for holding it in'rearward position with permissive movement frontwardly. "The stud or support 13 about which the spring 14: is coiled, may be adjusted to vary the tension of the spring, and the consequent effectiveness or force of the arm ,16'on the feeler. Such adjustment may be conveniently effected by means of a nut 17 on the lower end of the stud 13, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that by turning the nut and tensioning the stud, the tensioning of the spring may be varied, and by tight- Zeningv the nut, the desired tension in the spring may be preserved;

The arm-160i the spring is shown as extending through a pin 18 secured to the feeler, and capable of rocking relatively thereto, although it will be understood that any suitable connection between the arm 16 and the feeler to enable the arm 16 to force the feeler rearwardly and permit it to move laterally may be employed.-

onvenience dictates that the feeler may be formedby a lower part 19 and an up per part 20, properly spaced apart so that the arm 16' of the spring 14 may extend laterally through the pin 18 carried by While this is a good, practical form of this feature of the invention, it may, of course, be varied indefinitely. I

Mounted upon the arm .16 is a spring 21, which normally acts laterally upon the feeler to press it into engagement with the feeler bearing 8. The spring 21 may be conveniently supported on the arm 16 between the collar 22 and the pin 18, the

construction being such force of the spring 21 acts laterally upon the lceler. The spring 21 may be other wise supported to exert its lateral force upon the feeler.

In some instances, it may be desirable to confine the feeler upon the feeler stand by the guides or casings 23 which may be secured to the feeler stand by the pins or bolts 24, and to the bearing 8 by the pins 12 which, in addition to holding the bearing 8 upon the feeler stand, may pass through the guides 23 and unite the several parts in permanent relation. The parts 233 may have a slotted portion 25 through which the arm 16 and the spring 21 may extend for engagement with the l'eeler.

When the fecler is in its rearward ieelmg position under the impulse of the spring arm 16, the lateral pressure of the spring 21 acts upon the feeler to hold it laterally against the rear part or portion of the bearing 8, as indicated in Fig. 3. hen the :teeler is moved frontwardly, the point oi? application of the lateral pressure of the spring 20 is displaced frontwardly relatively to the bearing 8; and when the displacement has been such as to transfer the lateral pressure of the spring frontward of the shoulder 26 of the bearing 8, the tendency of the lateral pressure of the spring 21 will be to move the feeler longitudinally of the direction of the shuttle, or laterally of the feeler stand, into engagement with the offset front portion of the feeler bearing 8.

The shuttle 27 may be of the usual type, having bobbinholding jaws 28 for engaging the head of the bobbin 29 on which the filling 30 is wound; and the front wall of the shuttle, as usual in this class of devices, may be provided with the slot 31 through which the feeler may extend when the lay moves forward 011 a detecting beat.

hen a working supply of filling is present in the shuttle on a detecting beat, as indicated in Fig. 1, the end portion 5 of the feeler will engage the mass of filling or filling thread, and the feeler will be moved frontwardly, and when the lateral pressure of the spring 21 has been moved frontwardly of the shuttle 26 of the bearing, the tendency to move it longitudinally of the shuttle will be opposed by the en gaged end of the feeler with the filling, and the parts will assume the position indicated in Fig. 1. en, however, the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, the feeler 4 will be moved frontwardly, and when the spring 21 acts upon the feeler frontwardly of the shoulder 26, it will move the feeler in a direction longitudinally of that the expansive What is claimediszp 1. Ina feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler loosely mounted on the stand, a feeler bearingupstanding from the feeler stand and having one portion for determiningthe feeling position of the feeler and another portion for determining :the movement of the 'feeler against the other portion of the vbearing on a detecting beat. g a a 2. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted for movement toward and from the front of the loom and also in a direction longitudinally of the shuttle, an upstanding feeler bearing having a portion whichdefines the feeling position of the feeler and another portion which defines its movement longitudinally of the shuttle, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler rearwardly,

and a second spring which forces the feeler in one direction against one portion of the feeler hearing when it 1s m rearward position and tends to move the feeler in an opposite direction longitudinally of the shuttle into the position defined by the other portion of the bearing as it moves frontwardly on a detecting beat.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler that is mounted for bodily sliding and swing movement on the fee-ler stand, a feeler bearing comprising a rear portion and a laterally offset front portion, a sprin which exertsa force laterally upon the eeler to move it toward and to hold it against the rear portion of the hearing when the feeler gagement with the is in rearwardposition and tends to move the feeler in an opposite direction into enlaterally offset front portion of the bearing when the feeler is moved frontwardly.

t. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler that is mounted for bodily sliding and swinging movement on the feeler stand, a feeler bearing comprising a rear portion and a laterally offset front portion, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in rearward position, a second spring which exerts a force laterally upon the feeler to move it toward and to hold it against the rear portion of the bearing when the feeler is in rearward position and tends to move the feelerin an opposite'direction into engagement withthe laterally offset front portion of the hearing when the feeler is moved frontwardly.

5. In .a f'eeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand that has an upstanding feeler bearing, the front portion of which is laterally offset from the rear portion, a spring which is connected to and exerts a lateral force upon the feeler opposite the rear portion of thebearing when the feeler -is in rearward position and is moved by the feeler to transfer its lateral force upon the feeler opposite the laterally offset portion of the bearing when the feeler is moved frontwardly.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

site the rear portion of the hearing when the feeler is in rearward position and which is moved frontwardly by the feeler on adetecting beat to transfer the lateral force of the spring opposite the offset portion of the bearing, and means for replenishing filling when the feeler is moved laterally into en gagement with the offset portion of the bearing on adetecting beat.

7. Ina feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler stand, a feeler, a feeler bearing, the front of which is laterally offset with relation to the rear thereof, a spring which acts laterally against the feeler and is displaced frontwardly by the feeler on a detecting beat to transfer the lateral force of the spring opposite the offset front of the bearing, and means for replenishing filling when the feeler is moved laterally on a detecting beat.

8. A feeler mechanism comprising, in com-- bination, a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand, a feeler bearing haying a laterally offset front portion, a sprlng arm normally acting to move the feeler rearwardly,

a second spring exerting a force longitudinally of the spring arm and laterally rela tive to and against the feeler, and means for replenishing filling when the second spring effects lateral movement of the feeler on at detecting beat.

9. A feeler mechanism, comprising, in. combination, a feeler stand, a feeler, a feeler bearing extending in a general direction from front to. rear of the feeler stand and having a front portion offset relative to the rear thereof, a spring secured to the feeler stand and normally tend ing to move the feeler rearwardly, a second spring displaced frontwardly by the feeler on a detecting beat and normally tending to move the feeler laterally into engagement with the offset portion of the feeler bearing as the feeler is moved frontwardly and prevented from effecting such movement by engagement of the feeler with the filling until substantial exhaustion thereof on a detecting beat.

10. A feeler mechanism comprising, in combination, a feeler stand, a feeler, a feeler bearing extending in a general direction from front to rear of the feeler stand and having a front portion offset relative to the rear thereof, a spring secured to the feeler stand and having an arm connected to the feeler to move'it rearwardly, a second spring exerting a force in a general direction lengthwise of the arm and tending to move the feeler laterally against the offset front portion of the bearingas the feeler is displaced frontwardly on a detecting beat, and means for effecting replenishment of filling when the feeler is laterally displaced on a detecting beat. 11. A feeler mechanism comprising, in

'combination, a feeler stand having a feeler engaging shoulder, a feeler loosely mounted 1 upon the stand for movement toward and from the front of'the loom and longitudinally of the shuttle, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in its rearward position,

and a second spring acting upon a portion of I thefeeler rearwardly of said 'shoulderwhen the feeler is in its rearward position and frontwardly of the shoulder when the feeler is in its forward position, and constructed and arranged to move the feeler longitudiacting laterally nally of the the filling movement.

12. In a feeler mechanism, the combina tion of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the feeler stand and movable toward and from the front of the loom and longitudinally of the shuttle, an abutment carried by the stand, a shoulder between the front and rear portions of the abutment about which the feeler partakes of its movement longitudinally of the shuttle, a spring acting lalerally upon the feeler rearwardly of the shoulder when the feeler is in its rearward position and acting laterally upon the feeler frontwardly of the shoulder when the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat.

13. In a feeler mechanism, the combina-- tion of a feeler stand, a feeler mounted on the stand and movable toward and from the front of the loom and longitudinally of the shuttle, an abutment carried by the stand and positioned to be engaged by the feeler, a spring normally acting to hold the feeler in its rearward position, and a second spring 7 upon the feeler rearwardly of the abutment when the feeler is in its rearward position and acting laterally upon the. feeler frontwardly of the shoulder when the feeler is moved frontwardly on a detecting beat.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ISAAC SNOKV.

shuttle on a detecting beat when fails to hold the feeler from such 

